Ricardo M. Urbina
1934 – 2024
Oral History now available.
The District of Columbia Circuit lost a beloved and respected judge with the passing of Judge Ricardo M. Urbina on June 17, 2024. Judge Urbina spent the majority of his career in public service as a judge, first as an Associate Judge of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia (1981 – 1994) and then as a District Judge on the United States District Court for the District of Columbia (1994 – 2012). Before his judicial years, he served as a public defender in the early days of the Legal Aid Agency and seven years as a law professor at Howard University Law School. Chief Judge James E. Boasberg paid tribute to Judge Urbina as a role model on and off the bench. “He had a keen sense of fairness, and he was a dedicated, empathetic, and creative jurist,” Boasberg said. “On a personal level, he is remembered throughout the courthouse for his warmth, authenticity, and kindness. He will be missed.”
With Judge Urbina’s passing, his extraordinary, 9-session oral history for the Historical Society is now available for publication. Conducted by Gene Granof, it is a fascinating account of a life well-lived, full of compassion, understanding, insight and excellence. He recalls his early education, his remarkable track career (falling just short of joining the 1968 U.S. Olympic team), his commitment to the rule of law and his deep belief in the importance of the jury system, his teaching days at Howard and later at George Washington University, and his life and many poignant experiences as a judge on both the Superior Court and District Court benches. “One of the wonderful parts of being a judge is that the human drama plays out in front of you all the time, and in almost every instance you can find a piece of that drama that applies to you. The human experience.” It is an oral history to be savored by those who love the courts, the jury trial system, and the importance of compassion in our judicial system.